Surgery on Ramos worries Philippines<\/p>\n
MANILA (Agencies): President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines
\nunderwent surgery yesterday for a cholesterol blockage in a main
\nartery that could have been life-threatening, sparking widespread
\nconcern over the country's political succession.<\/p>\n
Executive Secretary Ruben Torres said the one hour 15 minute
\noperation on the 68-year-old Ramos had been a success.<\/p>\n
\"The president is already fully conscious and awake after the
\noperation so he can now still perform his duties. It's business
\nas usual,\" Torres told a news briefing.<\/p>\n
The news took the country by surprise even though Ramos had
\nalso been briefly hospitalized 10-days earlier. Opposition
\nlegislators demanded a full disclosure of Ramos' medical
\ncondition, and radio stations were deluged with callers offering
\nprayers for his full recovery.<\/p>\n
But Torres denied there had been any attempt to hide the
\ngravity of the president's condition. He said a decision to
\noperate was only taken late Sunday after Ramos was admitted to
\nthe Makati Medical Center.<\/p>\n
\"This has major implications, so we wanted to be sure that the
\ndecision (surgery) was certain,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The block was removed. The president is out of anesthesia,
\nawake and all vital signs are within normal limits,\" the
\npresident's physician, Raul Fores, said in a bulletin.<\/p>\n
The bulletin said the operation to remove cholesterol in the
\nright carotid in the neck was \"an uneventful procedure.\"<\/p>\n
The artery supplies blood to the brain and Health Secretary
\nCarmencita Reodica told a news conference that without the
\noperation Ramos could have suffered a stroke.<\/p>\n
Ramos is a fit, youthful man for his age, works up to 18 hours
\na day, regularly plays golf and is known to enjoy a twirl on a
\ndance floor. But Fores said he would have to slow down and watch
\nhis diet, adding the president suffered from \"the usual problems
\nof people above 60\".<\/p>\n
\"You get this illness from eating too much cheese and
\nchocolates,\" he said. \"For the first time, he has listened (to
\ndoctors advice). He realizes he's got to slow down.<\/p>\n
The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index dropped by 2.1
\npercent at one point, which analysts said was caused partly by
\nthe news on Ramos. The market recovered slightly to close just
\n1.3 percent down.<\/p>\n
The medical problems of the Philippine leader fueled
\nspeculation about who would succeed Ramos, even though his six
\nyear term does not end until May 1998.<\/p>\n
The operation came after weeks of debate over a controversial
\ncampaign to amend the constitution so that Ramos could stand for
\na second term. The president has said he does not want to stand
\nagain and other candidates are now starting to come forward.<\/p>\n
Ramos was detained at the Makati Medical Center on Dec. 14 and
\n15 because of a viral infection.<\/p>\n
Tests later showed that there was a \"significant carotid block
\nwhich is usually cholesterol-related,\" leading the doctors to
\nrecommend surgery, Torres said.<\/p>\n
An emergency cabinet meeting was convened yesterday to \"assess
\nif the president is able or unable to perform his duties,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Because of the medical bulletin that was issued, the cabinet
\nhas said that the president is able to continue with his duties,
\nalthough ... it will be on a limited activity,\" Torres said,
\nadding Ramos would leave the hospital on Christmas Day or the day
\nafter.<\/p>\n
There would be no out-of-town trips or speaking engagements,
\nhe said. \"But he can work on papers.\"<\/p>\n
It was unclear how long Ramos would take to fully recover.<\/p>\n
Under the constitution, Vice President Joseph Estrada would
\ntake over as head of state if Ramos died or had to stand down.<\/p>\n
Estrada, an outspoken former movie actor, is unpopular with
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
But the president's chief aide said Ramos had instructed him
\nSunday \"to relay to him (Estrada) that he is the next in line so
\nin case of any eventuality, we have to be ready and he should be
\nhere in the (Philippines) all the time.\"<\/p>\n
When asked if he had been made acting president, Estrada told
\nreporters: \"No need. The president is very much alive.\" He
\nexpressed confidence that Ramos would be soon back at work but
\nadded that he thought \"the president is overworked.\"<\/p>\n
Defense Secretary Renato de Villa denied reports that the
\nmilitary had been put on red alert because of Ramos' operation.<\/p>",
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